Ken Arlen remembers his first musical performance, playing the clarinet for his parents and a group of their friends. But his audience has grown since his fifth-grade debut. Tonight it will include President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush .
Arlen, saxophonist and band leader of the Evanston-based Ken Arlen Orchestra, will perform Thursday night at the Inaugural “Commander-In-Chief” Ball at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. Seventeen members of the band, which in the past has included up to 21 members, flew to the capital on Wednesday.
The band will play 40 to 60 songs, including a special arrangement of Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America,” Arlen said. The orchestra also will accompany Patti Labelle in a rendition of the national anthem.
The band plays everything from swing and salsa to R&B and reggae. It often plays at weddings and for celebrities and CEOs.
There are a number of inaugural balls, but the “Commander-In-Chief” Ball remains one of the most prestigious. The event will honor the Armed Forces, and the guest list includes men and women who have been or will be sent overseas.
Band vocalist Meleesa Sullivan said she was excited to perform.
“It’s an honor to play for the men and women that serve here and abroad,” Sullivan said.
It was the band’s musical versatility that caught the eye of the president’s Inaugural Committee.
“They were chosen based on the fact that they are a variety band and they can cover different aspects of entertainment,” said Ben Porritt, spokesman for the committee.
The committee contacted the band late last year, Arlen said. Then, they sent in samples of their music and live performances. A few weeks later they were told to prepare for their highest-profile audience yet.
Although the band is performing for a Republican president, the vast majority of band members identify themselves as Democrats, bass player Mark Beringer said.
“The fact that I’m a Democrat and have played for two Republican presidents doesn’t really matter,” said Beringer, who also played for former President Ronald Reagan.
The orchestra started in 1983 with six members, and has since gone on to produce a CD jazz tribute to Stevie Wonder.
“It took me a good 10 years to break into to this market and it’s just been growing ever since,” Arlen said.
Arlen now performs about 100 times a year at a variety of locations. His greatest memory comes from a free performance in Evanston when he learned that a boy dancing enthusiastically to his music had been very depressed. It was the first time the child had shown excitement in a long time.
“That just shows you the power of music,” Arlen said.
Reach Lensay Abadula at [email protected].
